WOMEN TEACHERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18773, 29 July 1924, Page 5

WOMEN TEACHERS.

Sir,—l am an Australian teacher (fe« male) spending leave of absence in New Zealand, and I note with concern the position o! the female teacher here. The Herald of the 22nd. inst. reports that in the opinion of the Canterbury Education Board women teachers v are unfit to manage small schools, as they are Rot disciplinarians. , Now, the merest tyro in things scholastic knows that nothing is accomplished in a class or a school without discipline. One of the members of this board is reported to assert that 15 out of 20 men could keep discipline, and probably 5 per cent, of the women. In another part of your paper we learn that the grading of, teachers in New Zealand is remarkably uniform, so that this distressing lack oi discipline is a characteristic of New Zealand schools since 95 per, cent, of the female t&ichcvs and 25 per cent, of the males cannot keep order. This, of course, supports the'assertion that many of the head teachers in the Auckland district are not fit for their jobs. Surely the educational condition of New Zealand is grave! Toachers, women as well as men, ars graded, some of them have high marks (women too!) —by what unfair means did _ these women become possessed of grading marks since their ability to keep discipline, and hence teach .is absent. Inspectors should be asked to explain. My advice to woman "who feel a desire to become teachers is to consider well the advantages avid then, if the desire is very strong, to enter the profession in some other country. My visit has taught be satisfied that I am, An Ax'ssib Teacher (Female).