CHILD EDUCATION

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 13, 15 July 1936, Page 7

CHILD EDUCATION

PARENTS & TEACHERS

ADDRESS BY MR. BANNER

"Childhood is the period of life abounding in .problems for parent, physician, or teacher.1' said Mr. A. O. Banner, in an address on "Child Education," at the recent "Mothers ,and Fathers"1 meeting organised by the Kelburn branch of the League: of Mothers. "Too often at present.parents are overwhelmed by the responsibilities of their problems, confused by the experience of other parents, and unable to appreciate the extent to winch their" children are influenced by the example of other children, rather than by the precepts of parents. THE HOME AND THE SCHOOL. _ "Some few years. ago," continued Mr. Banner, '•an- attempt was made to establish in Wellington.home and school associations in order .to improve the relations between home and school. The main idea was to use every possible means of bringing into harmony the two', parts of the child's life. The home.and school movement, overseas met with success,- and is meeting with success by the association of parents and members of school staff. The aims and methods of the school are explained to parents and. the educational problems involved both general and special are discussed from the parents' as well as from" the teachers' point of view. The treatment of individual children, especially difficult children, naturally, comes up for discussion. The parents necessarily know their children's nature more intimately than the teachers can know them and can then help the teachers; whilst on the other hand, the teacher seeing the child in different surroundings, and perhaps awakening a side of his nature which is dormant at home can often be a great help to the earnest or intelligent parent. One has nothing but praise for the Kindergarten Association m their organisation -of parental co-operation." ..-.-• Touching briefly upon some aspects of child education, Mr Banner • s .id "can we accept the democratic ideal as laid down by that great educationist Dr. John Dewey. I believe the ideal which should guide our efforts has been admirably stated by him He says 'What the best and wisest parent desires for his own children that must the community desire for ..all its children.' In other words, every child no matter what the financial resources of his parents are or.;what his own economic destiny may be, should be given the opportunity to;grow, to his full stature, as a self-respecting and civilised human being." ■ ';. WORTHI INSTITUTIONS. "What institutions have we catering for education: CD : The Plunket Society —evolved on a national scale, guided by the principles of: educational public health, work laid down by the founder, Sir Truby King, a system combining what might be called 'parent educa-

tion' on matters of health and hygiene with health-supervision of the infant, and on a much smaller scale of the pre-school child. (2) Kindergarten schools. . These attempt to ,fiU the gap between the ages of .three and five years. There is a world-wide movement for the extension of: educational provision to children uricler 5, although there is still, a widespread disinclination to regard r the pr&Wh'bol child as constituting an educational problem at all.1 ' : .."..' :■; . ,-"■ -■- V ■'

"During the past two decades, both : medical men and psychologists have ■ shown that, a v?st amount of physical ' defect s and mental maladjustment can ; be traced-to unwise or improper treatment during'the' early'years of ■ life, and can be prevented. Kinder- ] gartens or nursing school education 1 should not, however, be thought of , merely as social ; salvage work, al- : though some of its most "spectacular triumphs have been acheived in this ! field. The records of the Merrill Pal- . mer Nursery School at Detroit show , in a very'striking way that children from the very-.best homes can benefit;, enormously '-from attendance at a good ; nursery school. ' Although there :is ; certainly no substitute for the home , and association"' with parents and ; brothers and sisters, there are other experiences/which cannot usually be adequately provided for: in the home, and which the; nursery school must seek to supply." In the: nursery schools 1 the activities ; and pursuits of the day j are designed, mainly to develop the : senses, to. guide the imagination, and to form right habits. > Children rapidly learn not to interfere with other children, not to.waste time, and. not to : destroy the equipment provided. By degrees self-control takes the place of ', formal control and the foundations of < general interest in various kinds of , work are. laid—they have become well ' fitted to become individuals. The ; kindergarten has trained teachers—ex- , pert in their work. ' (3) Our infant i schools, provided to receive children at , the age of '5 years,?if parents wish. , The question of the age at which any , particular child should! begin or trans- ( fer from a kindergarten or nursery , type, is a complicated one. This de- ; pends on many: factors—the health of . the child, the; distance from school, the • advancement of the child for his age. "The modern" infant school is plan- i ned to give opportunity, "for engaging in a variety!of pursuits such; as hand- • work,, dancing,-;'.■.sitiging,;; the,■:"drama > ' physical welfare.-: ■ and .■'.■•■^educational ] games,--and- most important.1 association i with chUdreri of his'age. ' Dr/Susan - Isaacs, noted;:child ''■■■ psychologist, 'says ', the need for companionship \with other i children' (particularly of about . the , same age) is almost .. as great as the need for food and drink.- In a word the:aim of-the .infant school is to provide, children, with the experiences arid activities ne'cessary;>tp;:their fullest, development "atvtheir particular stage of ' life." ■■-. ':•■■•■ ' '.'■■■•'.■:■■:■'• t; '■:-'■■) ; ■ ; EDUCATION '-MEANS LIFE. ' "Education has" long iceased to be^ thought of, merely as instruction in thei rudiments of knowledge, it is rather' the process rof guiding the; Jchild's whole development- : ph-y^i";*! ■ '»l'-iw. jtual, social, 'moral, help thei child to live his': wnoie : lite I ■: :- -■' I;; V •■ .' '

better. The work in our schools should allow of the -"recognition of the widely-differing tastes, ■ abilities, and emotional requirements of different children. Children differ.: enormously in their general or specific abilities The three .■ 'R's* "■ when•:'.should they begin? What 'is :, the main subject of the school? Englisl* to speak and to write well—to attain this reading is or should be the pivotal subject of the school. 'Methods of teaching reading! have ..changed, considerably in the last fifteen to twenty years. Parents complain that they are not able to help 'them, in this subject. I say, don't try. , For a certain period they appear to just mark time. When they are away there is no holding them back. The modern method 'of reading by sound enables the child' to "stand on his own feet" at a?much earlier age than was possible.two;decades ago. It provides a background—an interest in books. The greatest need of our school today is lor books, more books, and still mord books and material for reading. The Wellington City Council has done.more in this respect than any other body in New Zealand—but more is required.; Goo'd magazines, children's newspapers, any reading matter suitable for children.' "■ ..;' , INDIviDUAIiSINiG. STAGE. '•The ages from'three.to six or seven years is an 'individualising stage.' The child becomes an, individual.. From seven to twelve years, a 'competitive socialising stage.'. This, is. the special period for formal" education—forming habits and. acquiring knowledge. /This fact tends to fasten the false idea that the child's development-is wholly dependent upon his education; who may consequently : lay down a definite course of treatment with surety of success. It is in consequence of this that the class system and mass system treatment have been supported. The. present need is for smaller classes. Whatever view we take as to the desirability of regulating the child's .conduct by external authority.' there can be no question that our aim must be the development of an autonomous selfdirecting being. There is'little to choose between a course of treatment which results in being the sport of authoritative control and a course which leaves the individual the sport of his own crude passions and desires.

"The former course spells a personality annihilated; the latter a personality unorganised and undeveloped. We need freedom, not licence," concluded Mr. Banner. "Authoritative control, so far as assumed, should be consistent and self-respecting, and it should not be exercised beyond what is essential." •■".■. :"■;'-,-,.