GRADING OF TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18530, 15 October 1923, Page 8

GRADING OF TEACHERS.

MINISTER'S NEW SCHEME. UNIFORM APPRAISEMENT. EXCHANGE OF INSPECTORS. DESIRE FOR A "FAIR DEAL." [by. telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT. J ' 'WELLINGTON. Sunday. Tho Minister for Education road© "a pronouncement yesterday, embodying decisions reached by him. as a result of recent conferences with members of Education Boards and senior inspectors of schools, with regard to •' uniformity of appraisement in the grading of. teachers. Mr. Parr said he had had several meetings with the Director of Education and the chief inspector of schools, and was now in a position to confirm the decisions at which ho had arrived. For the purpose of comparing typical cases of -grading, and judging and reporting upon the quality of instruction given in the ■ various education districts, tho chief inspector, said tho Minister, would for the ensuing 12 months spend at least half his working time in the field. The 1 senior inspectors would temporarily exchange districts for three months, as from March 1 r.*xt. The chief inspector would arrange in two or three suitable cases for an exchange of territory between tho inspectors of adjacent districts, arid would report what districts he suggested for this purpose. " It was remarkable to find the unanimity of opinion that existed with regard to "the efficacy of the present system," said* Mr. Parr. " It, has . been found to be infinitely superior to tho old system in force until a couple of years ago, under which appointments were made by education boards and school committees according to the opinion or predilection of either. Nowadays teachers are graded by tho inspectors who examine and know their work, and promotion goes with tho grade. The teaching profession are unanimously in support of tho new system, and have expressed their support through the Teachers' Institute. The opposition of the boards has almost vanished. Practically all of them are unanimous that the grading is being well done. " The one difficulty is to secure a uniform standard of valuation as between nine different set* of inspectors in nine education board districts," Mr. Parr continued. "To meet this difficulty, it has been decided to take certain steps with a view to securing greater uniformity of appraisement, so as to keep the inspectors working on the same basis as nearly as possible.- " I' admit, of course, that it is humanly impossible to secure absolute uniformity under any system of classification, where a number of men have to value and estimate the technical worth and ability of others. Much can be done, however, toward the end desired. Excellent results have- already attended the system during the three years it has been in force. The arrangement by which tho chief inspector would be in the field half his time would have an additional advantage, said Mr. Parr, in that he would be in a position to report direct to the Minister on his judgment&kf'Uie quality of instruction being imported in typical schools of different districts. Naturally the senior inspectors, who would interchange temporarily, might not have' an opportunity to see all tho teachers, but they would have the advantage of being able to compare the grading of typical headmasters and assistants in each, district, and one particular ' grade could decide whether either had been marking too high or too low: This would help toward attaining uniformity. In cases in which inspectors exchanged in adjacent districts, one could get, idea of what standards the other adopted in a neighbouring territory. " I am, very anxious said the Minister " to make the teaching service as happy and contented as possible under the grading system. I want to see them get what they consider a fair. deal. With regard to. promotion, largely this has already been accomplished, but there is this one admitted weaknessthe want of uniformity of appraisement. We want the best curative measure we can secure, and 1 have great hopes that the measures I have outlined will'bring it about:"