ALL ABOUT IT

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 5

ALL ABOUT IT

THE KINDERGARTEN IN HEW ZEALAND [By Hexe Wilkie.] No. 111. The kindergarten movement which Froebel founded nearly a hundred years ago has, since his death, spread, all over the world, yet in most countries today it still holds its amateur status. Here in New Zealand it is an institution holding and striving to practise the highest ideals; carried on by poorly paid enthusiasts, influencing a largo proportion of our growing population, hut still only partially supported (and since the beginning of last year totally unsupported) by the Government. The Free Kindergarten Association of New Zealand trains students in the four centres, and eaters for approximately 2,000 children yearly, yet its upkeep is left to be a burden to the generous few. Grateful parents give of their time and money, and remain under a sense of obligation to the movement, while the ungrateful typo, fortunately much rarer in the community, takes all benefits as a right without the onus of contributing one penny to the upkeep of the schools. Added to this, teachers engaged in an exacting and absorbing occupation feel it incumbent

on them to raise funds for their own salaries by the organisation of jumble sales, fairs, and socials. Perhaps, however, we may count this very drawback as an advantage in another connection. It is obvious at once that students lacking aptitude for the work are not tempted to enter it for monetary considerations. A kindergarten teacher must love the work for its own sake; must be, in effect, like one of those wise old Greeks whop rided themselves on being amateurs. Kindergarten teaching to-day differs from that of Froobel’s school chiefly because of the addition of physiological knowledge applied to it by Sequin and his pupil, Dr Maria Montessori. Montessori was the first woman in Italy to take her degree in medicine, and, influenced by Sequin, she developed an intense interest in defective children and worked for the improvement of their health and minds. She invented a series of self-corrective apparatus to give the backward child muscular control through exercise. She strove to build up shattered nervous systems, and give defectives power to conquer their environment. After study in London and Paris and great success with Italian defective children Montessori realised the possibilities of applying her methods to normal children. Accordingly, in 1902, she opened the “Children’s Houses” in Rome. These “ tenement kindergartens ” revolutionised the life of the poor in Italy. It is difficult for New Zealand teachers to realise tho difficulties under which she worked, for rarely' do we find children actually undernourished, fatigued, or inadequately clothed in our Now Zealand kindergartens. New Zealand mothers are to be congratulated on their children’s clean and healthy appearance. There has been much discussion of tho differences between tho methods of Froebel and Montessori, as if they were definitely antagonistic, but in actual practice the two systems blend beautifully, to the ultimate benefit of the child.

Montessori’s stress on the physical side of a child’s training is a valuable corrective to a tendency towards oyerdotniled handwork which had crept into the purely Froebelian schools. One aspect of her teaching, her rigid exclusion of fairy tales and the innocent fancies of the “ age of wonder,” has been a stumbling block to many who are sincerely anxious to appreciate her. But when we remember how much of her early work was_ on behalf of poor dazed wanderers in a world of neurotic phantasy this is perhaps understandable. For normal children Montessori’s definite sense-training apparatus is most valuable in the earlier stages, but as the creature impulse asserts itself something further is necessary, and the child turns to Froebel’s building blocks, modelling clay, or blackboards for free expression work. The nature of the education given in kindergartens is proudly claimed to be

threefold—that it is directed towards the development of “ head, heart, and hand.” Froebel was deeply conscious of the unity of Nature, and held this idea of a harmonious development of the personality steadfastly before him. Of course, in this ago of specialisation, most people as they grow older must make “ drastic sacrifices among their possibilities,” but this is no reason for limiting a liberal education in the elementary schools. Kindergarlners aim to increase the number of the world’s vital personalities by giving each child opportunities to exercise his growing powers. Even among these tiny children there are distinct evidences of leadership and initiative, musical and artistic ability, love of gardening or domestic duties. There is scope in the kindergarten for every child’s bent. Teaching is necessarily very concrete. The child learns to develop his reasoning powers ..by continual contact with reality. Kindergarten training is positive and optimistic. It has no place for the inhibitive power of hate and fear.

Children are taught early to live in harmony with others, to work for the good of the whole group. They oomiino to make a poster; two or ih'ee club together in block-building. It is noticeable that willingness to help and share increases as the kindergarten year goes on. Kindergarten teaching is active and harmonious, but most of all it is constructive. Teachers are expected to say “ Do ” much more frequently than “Don’t” —to encourage obedience and helpfulness by praising a particular industrious child rather than by calling

offenders sternly to order. Their interest and cheery manner are infectious; for here, as elsewhere, actions speak louder than words. Kindergarten methods have grown up in company with the study of child psychology, and this is a matter for rejoicing. ... There is a further activity of the kindergarten movement which is of distinct value to the community—namely, its social clubs for parents. Although in the New Zealand free kindergarten no parent is “ under any obligation to pay anything,” it is scarcely surprising that parents’ clubs, inaugurated simply for closer contact between home and kindergarten, have grown into valuable organisations for the support of the schools. New Zealand workers pride themselves on their independent spirit and value their selfrespect. Most mothers’' and fathers’ clubs display a keen interest in the kindergartens’ welfare, and /ong after their children have left kindergarten these grateful parents continue to attend meetings and give financial help to the institution. All funds collected in this way pass into the fund of the general association, though if a special proviso be made they may bo set aside for some definite purchase at the school concerned. With the general fund, arising from subscriptions, special collections and donations, and (until the fateful year of 1932) Government subsidies, the General Committee pays salaries and erects buildings ; each district a special local committee of philanthropic ladies makes itself responsible for the upkeep, rent, and running expenses of its particular school.

It is a pity that parents, clubs, and local committees, which do so much for each school, and have such intimate knowledge of its needs, have very little voice in its administration. It would probably be very beneficial to the movement generallyif delegates from these bodies attended council meetings, and shared in the apportioning of funds and the selection of staffs. Whatever may be the advantages of centralisation, intimate local knowledge is never a thing to ho lightly discarded. Parents’ clubs are educational as well as social. Health talks are frequently given, as well as social evenings, but it is probably the informal discussions on “discipline ” and the laughing comparisons of their children’s “ little ways ” that young mothers value so highly. The club brings them now friends whose interests are akin to their own. It has been suggested by moralists that kindergartens do harm by shelving parents’ responsibilities, but the facts disprove this. Kindergartens mean regular hours for children, proper cleanliness and dressing, and nerve-rested mothers who have had time to cook proper meals and are eager for their children’s companionship in the*afternoon and evening. They give young mothers “vision and the strength to achieve.” (To bo continued.)