GRADING OF TEACHERS

Evening Star, Issue 17958, 3 May 1922, Page 6

GRADING OF TEACHERS

TO THF, EDITOR. Sir. —Apropos the primary school leach- : era’ gratiinir scheme, it if. gratifying to Iniuv/ Ik,tl. the Otago teachers, after laboring for the past, low years under a severe handicap, have at last decided to demand justice from the powers that bo. The whole .scheme is a. colossal I area, *» I snare, and a delusion, for no one can creditably, except ho he inspired with divine wisdom, measure- a inanfs intellect) by ,'dlolihu; him a certain number of marts (or personality and for skill in teaching, liniike a captain of industry,

who measures bis eu'res.s by profits accrued front a year’s business, tbo teacher lias no concrete meiliod by which to mea- - sure Ids .success, ior eouca.tiou iin]uics too equipping of a child morally, pnysically, and intellectually tor tho battle of. life. To ho just lo the Kacber in valuing his or her work, one mm.t necessarily watch carefully the progress of each chilil passing llmmgh the class from these three points of view, not for a day nor a year, but for a number of years. The position is an alisni .1 one. The valuatin:: of a (earlier’s personality implies the measurement, of hi? nr her mental capabilities, disposition, character, and individuality • but. unfortunately, tho inspector ni weigh 1 ? and measures doea not posrc-s anv si and arc! by means of which there can be measured, nor duel ai.vmic else have sound exacting scientific) standards by which (o valuat® acenratoly the impression made on the child mind. ITow can the immaterial be measured by the maieiia!? Moreover, AT climate of Bo personality may 'probably be totally different from O'/ estimate of the same man, amt co fiu ad infinitum. It will be, found that (i' l( , -pm'-omd rb-ment. will creep in in many r;j kT 'l'bere li. hm: no agreement, the re.Miit- ’ must !:■ confusion worse confounded.” , . jo.fc.vc thk Wild -rd scheme came info operation teachers, h.ihxr from tins pro- : vince were c.lw.ay.i in demand in the pro- . vinces of the For lb Bland. Indeed, there, | \c ni’tfi, w.i\\ i! v-Tonl in which icnchor some’ vears ago. aflm’ being dismissed from i 11,0 service ni ;he Otago Board lor in- 1 competence, migrated northwards to pa-s- j lures new, v. b-r h? is now confioored j as mi edncaliomii star, while bis more j worthy comrades :'l labor in a Mmiecl , mospheie. How bard is the lot of b™ | r.-i,,,.:-! je.lii it is 1.0 Imi uud‘W tflosp who - ,1 0 yude-.-.t-iud him! How widceo ifi \ a sp|.? yj.. v.-hi-b Mnm at reducing the mi- j mwwm.hh , M iminro'd C!naeitoes of . -.p-d to niai iierna I ica i formula? I—l am , V " Kkda. r[c. . Afiiy 2.