EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 151, 29 June 1938, Page 19

EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

ADVANCED AMERICAN IDEAS

ENGLISH TEACHER'S VIEWS

Some indication of the trend of education in England and the United States was given by Miss D. E. Dalton, London, who arrived at Auckland by the Aorangi on Sunday, states the "New Zealand Herald." She is to join the Association of Country Education connected with the Home Science School at the University of Otago.

Miss Dalton, who gained her B.A. degree in London and her M.A. degree in California, has been working for some time with Dr. Susan Isaacs, head of the department of child development at the University of London, on whose recommendation she is joining the Association of Country Education. . ... Miss Dalton specialises in child development and has done considerable work in this direction in London and recently at the Mills School in California. She stated that educationalmethods in California were considerably advanced, being very modem and practical. Following the modern idea of combining theory and practice in all aspects of education, many interesting experiments were being conducted at secondary schools in California, said Miss Dalton. CAREERS AND HOME LIFE. An endeavour was being made to educate both boys , and girls for home life as well as for careers, continued Miss Dalton. Such subjects as child welfare and training, and every aspect of home life were entirely voluntary and were proving extremely popular. Opportunity was also given for practical work following theoretical instruction. The compulsory school starting a o e in California was eight years, and lor leaving school 15 years, although the schools liked to keep the pup:ls u possible until they were 18 years of 38 Miss Dalton expressed the opinion that eight years was the ldea \,f. g h e pl to general school education. Hitheito, the break between kindergarten and school, had been recognised five years, but the kindergarten age really lasted. until seven years. At eight years of age a child had reached natural change in development. "Kindergartens in p^ orm * lt " most efficient," said Miss Dalton. "Apart from very few private kindergartens and nursery schools most of the institutions are maintained by the State. In the kindergartens theory and practice begin a system of education that will set a standard throughout the child's education."

HARMONY OF SCHOOL AND HOME In her work on child development, Miss Dalton was concerned mainly with establishing* harmony and cooperation of the school, the child, and the home.. This work would not, of courser be done without the interest and assistance of the parents, she said At the Mills School in California there was a family council which worked with the school in the interests of tne Ch "It r is n very difficult to theorise about child development, as it is first and foremost a question of the individual child," said Miss Dalton. 'It is a modern trend in education to admit that a child is an individual, and to treat it as such."