JUNIOR SCHOOL TEACHERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 19 April 1912, Page 6

JUNIOR SCHOOL TEACHERS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —There is something radicallv wroiie with our educational system in our local schools, either the junior teaelu ers are incapable or have been trained in a very bad school themselves. I nm afraid the hea<l teachers i:i of our infant schools do not supervi.-e the work given to children, and the result is the children are badly trained by the probationers and junior teachers. Also the members of the Education Board's visits nee<j to be more frequent, as Mr Jj°ck stated that the members had not visited the city schools for some considerable time, years in fact ; and employees in every walk of life need supervision over them or they get into a careless way of doing work entrusted to them. I have frequently examined the work of my children attending our city schools, anil last evening I was astonished to find a little chap somewhat distressed over a sum that- was entrusted to him in th< Second Standard : Divide. £6 5s &id b} nine. v " puzzling his brain;

more than anything was the fraction and reducing pounds to shillings etc. This he had not even been taught; one of the rudiments of arithmetic, I should say, let alone giving; a child in that standard a fraction. Also our city member might, bring under the notice of the Minister of Education the system that now is in vogue of changing the school books every year. A man with a large family cannot afford fresh book? for each child, and books that could be used by the reht of the family to follow would save the working man a great deal, as living is now onlv an existence with the hig'b cost of living.

I am, etc., A PARENT Tasman-st.. Apl. 17, 1912.