GRADING OF TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14143, 19 August 1909, Page 6

GRADING OF TEACHERS.

NO MORE CANVASSING.

The official grading of the teachers in the employ of the Auckland Education Board, which has recently been completed by the Board's inspectors, was formally adopted at yesterdays meeting of the Board. The Chairman (Mr. C. J. Parr) said that the grading of the teachers for the purposes of promotions and new appointments had been carefully carried out by the eight inspectors. In moving the adoption of the grading he said it should be clearly understood that the Board intended to give it a fair trial, and that future appointments would be made strictly in accordance with the grading. The inspectors had devoted a great deal of attention, in order to arrive at an equitable appraisement of the merits of the various teachers. In adopting this system they were enter-, ing upon a new era, which it was hoped would be satisfactory to teachers and committees as well as the Board.

Mr. A. R. Harris said that there was an impression abroad that some of the teachers had been graded without a sufficient knowledge of their qualifications. The Chairman said that many of the teachers were known to the whole of the eight inspectors, whilst there was no teacher who had been graded who was not known to at least two inspectors. The merits of teachers in regard to length of service, efficiency, and scholastic attainments had been carefully considered. Mr. J. D. McKenzie said that teachers would now find it useless to canvass or barrack" members of the Board when applying for appointments. This would be a great relief. Mr. G. J. Garland endorsed Mr. McKenzie's expression of satisfaction. Members of the Board in the past had been always subjected to requests to support the applications of individual teachers. Now this sort of think would cease, and the teachers who were best qualified would get the plums off the top branches. The motion for the adoption of the system was carried unanimously, and it was also agreed to supply each teacher with a statement of his or her grading.