INFANT CLASSES

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 151, 29 June 1931, Page 7

INFANT CLASSES

A SPECIALIST'S IDEAS

WORK OF MISS EDWARDS

Miss Edwards, who recently volinquished tlio position of infant mistress it the Normal School, to remove to the Hamilton district, is widely recognised as a teacher of unusual ability, and was ' the subject of warm encomiums at a farewell gathering held in her honour j on the eve, of her retirement. Miss Ed- j . wards, interviewed for "The Post," told something of her career as a teacher and of the way she was awakened, at a very early age, to the necessity for change in the handling of young children. She has seen great changes, and has herself taken a large part in bringing them about. "I began teaching in a "Wellington city.school at the age of 16," she said. "The head teacher introduced me to a third standard of 5b boys, some of whom were but a year or two younger than myself. He gave me a stick and a history book, and told me to go ahead and teach. He then went out and left me to my fate. , ' : "My mind revolted at the idea of using the cane on the unfortunate bodies of niy charges, and in a short time the room was in an uproar. I had to send for the headmaster to restore order, which he did by thrashings a large number, of the boys. The boys cried, and I sat down and cried with them. One of the older ones, called M'Coll, decided that something must be done, and with the help of several other chivalrous souls, took charge of the discipline of the class. From that time thj class managed itself. They took me under their protection. One day when I was about an hour late for school, some of the boys were on the watch for me, and insisted that I should go into . my room by a back way, so that the , head should not see me. " Thus early did I find out that if you win the goodwill and co-operation, of the children, encourage- their initiative, and harness their energy, the work • of teaching is mainly that of providing suitable equipment and. directing their activities. We want first the right . environment with plenty of floor space. ,l)esks are prisons. If the children have plenty of material for manufacture, apparatus, tools, and books they will teach themselves. Self-activity is the thing. Teachers should not be masters, but leaders, and .helpers of the children. A good library is essential." Miss Edwards deplores the waste of energy and initiative caused by repressive methods'. Under a rigid system ■ such as has developed in New Zealand the personality of.the children is stunted by the all-pervading attention and control of the inspector.-ridden teacher. The teacher should be an organiser who •can put to use the innate capacity of the child which is struggling for expression. : ...,.'".■' "Children should not be forced to ■ learn before they are ready," said Miss Edwards. "Fred was >a- boy who came to school at five. He took .no notice of the other children for a long time,* and was not in the least interested in ■reading, writing, or. number. He would 'listen to stories arid liked:to climb on her knee and be nursed. He had not •yet ceased to be a baby. After six or . eight months he suddenly dropped these habits and took to lessons. He had reached the right age for it. An,other boy was-giving a good deal f of trouble. She asked what she could do with him. He, after some thought, said .that he ought to get a 'hiding.' She ■said tjjat she would hate to do that, as at would be ■most disagreeable to her. She asked him to think', it over, and after half an- hour he asked if she ■Tyould give him another chance. She did so, and he became, through self-dis-clipline, a reformed character. ;; "Infant children should not be bothered with reading or writing at first. They should have plenty of handwork and stories, and be taught to use and •learn common-sense. Thus they should not be inarched in or out of school,: but should walk quietly without rushing or pushing." ■ . . . *i : At Karori School Miss Edwards tried to train her infants to.good habits of study, so that they might" escape the corporal punishment that was common !in:the standard classes. Here she was "discovered" by Inspector (now Professor) Gould. She had been considered lather a failuro before this. She was soon promoted to the charge of Te Aro Infants' School, then in Ghuznee street. Here 6he considers she did her best work. She learned a great deal from, the kindergarten teachers and from Mr. Tiller, of the Wesleyan Sunday School.' Mr. Bakewell, late senior inspector, helped her, and was a tower of strength to tho infant schools of the district. ; She has a keen appreciation of the in-: telligence and common-sense of infant children. Teachers should not "talk down" to them, but should treat them as persons of equal intelligence to themselves, "which they are," she says. During Eer visit to England twoj years ago, she was much" impressed bjjP the nursery schools and the private eyt perimental schools.. The aboard. schools' were not markedly superior to ours. "These private co-educational schools are wonderful," she said. "Handwork, music, art, and literature are their subjects. They have no rigid syllabus. The teachers are not graded; they are spe--cialists and artists." Miss Edwards hopes to continue her educational activities in her new home, although not perhaps as an active member of the teaching profession.